Description
This Cheesy Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet is a hearty and wholesome one-pan meal perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. Combining lean ground turkey with sweet potatoes, colorful vegetables, and melted mozzarella cheese, it offers a delicious balance of protein, fiber, and comfort flavors. The dish is cooked first on the stovetop to tenderize the ingredients and finished off in the oven to melt the cheese to golden perfection. This recipe serves 4 and takes just 27 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Skillet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound free-range extra-lean ground turkey (or grass-fed ground beef)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup onions, diced
- ½ cup yellow pepper, diced
- 1½ cups sweet potato, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- A pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
Topping & Garnish
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (omit for Whole30 or Paleo)
- Fresh parsley, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Heat Skillet: Place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Allow the oil to heat until shimmering.
- Cook Turkey: Add the ground turkey along with the minced garlic to the skillet. Break the turkey apart with a spatula and cook for about 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the diced onions and yellow peppers. Continue cooking until the onions become soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Sweet Potatoes: Mix in the diced sweet potatoes along with a pinch of red chili flakes (if using), salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Preheat Oven: While the sweet potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC) to get it ready for melting the cheese.
- Add Cheese: Once the sweet potatoes are tender, evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the mixture in the skillet. Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired, then serve hot directly from the skillet for a cozy and nutritious meal.
Notes
- For a Whole30 or Paleo version, omit the mozzarella cheese or substitute with a compliant cheese alternative.
- You can swap ground turkey for grass-fed ground beef if preferred.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any oven-safe skillet will work.
- Adjust red chili flakes according to your spice preference or omit if sensitive to heat.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated, but the cheese topping may become less melty.
